After seeing four of the five girls soccer teams I cover tonight, I came away with a few observations. But before I got too far into thinking about the deeper meanings behind District 204's sweep of District 203, Central coach Ed Watson said something that sort of took me by surprise.
I expected him to be angry after his team lost 3-1 to Waubonsie Valley. While he wasn't exactly fired up about it, he quickly put things into proper perspective.
"It's March and I'm happy with the way we played," he said.
Some other thoughts and observations:
*** Neuqua coach Joe Moreau looks and sounds good as he continues to recover from neck surgery a few weeks ago. Moreau had two fused disks that led to paralysis in his right arm. Even now, Moreau still has limited use of the arm.
He was in fine spirits after his team beat Naperville North 2-0 though, even joking that the six-month recovery period he's begun will seriously hamper his golf game this summer.
*** Freshmen will play big roles for several teams this season, but perhaps Neuqua midfielder Megan Oyster will make the biggest splash. Oyster scored in her debut and looked like a veteran at times. Other freshmen to keep an eye on include Olivia Landiak of North, Wesley Durham and Ashley Tegge of Central, and Megan Green and Hannah Klancic of Waubonsie.
*** Thank goodness for North Central College and its artificial surface at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. Without it, Wednesday's doubleheader likely wouldn't have been held because none of the participating schools have a field that is usable yet. North already had to postpone its only home game, and Central played its first three home games at NCC. Neuqua's stadium field is out of commission and Waubonsie's remains as soggy as the rest of the area.
*** Speaking of Waubonsie, the Warriors were ranked No. 1 in the nation again when the National Soccer Coaches Association of America spring poll was released Tuesday. It's the same place they occupied when last season ended. Judging how they have looked in their first two games, the Warriors might remain atop the poll for some time to come.
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